First of all, I have to say that I didn't think anyone was actually reading this apart from my faithful friend and fellow blogger, Amy (Check her blog http://www.tatamachance.blogspot.com/ this girl is a talented writer) and a couple of family members when they remember. So imagine my suprise when my lovely friend Jemma said she has been following with her husband Jay. So a big hello to The Cages and an official warm welcome to my blog :) Anyone else quietly reading in the wings, don't be scared to say hello, we're all friends here :)
College this week has been really fun. On Monday I was told off in true school fashion for forgetting my neck-tie, oh dear, but I did turn out some fantastic scones and a WI standard victoria sponge. In the afternoon session we were set a Ready, Steady, Cook! challenge. On my team was Caroline and Steven. Steven is already in the industry and seems to be a very worthy chef already so we had a little bit of a head start. After inspecting the trolley of ingredients and nabbing the cheap bottle of white wine, Caroline and Steven set about making a main dish of poached chicken supreme, wrapped in pancetta and stuffed with a mushroom duxelle, served on a potato rosti and creamy white wine and thyme sauce.
I took charge with the dessert: a white wine, strawberry and vanilla infused jelly with vanilla cream, strawberry coulis and strawberry crisps (which, in all honesty weren't quite crisp but that was a time issue, not a chef issue!). We were the only team that didn't use a recipe book, instead entirely relying on our own knowledge. I was really proud with our efforts and Paul, the chef, seemed quietly impressed too.
For Tuesday's session we had some theory and then a cooking skills class, in which we made minestrone. It was to get us used to cutting veg and now, for the rest of the week at home I will be practising cutting things into paysanne, without losing any fingers. (Paysanne: cutting into small dice or triangles) Just for you guys I found a demo of paysanne on you tube, I particulary like the crazy oriental music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqcetdDZMn8
College this week has been really fun. On Monday I was told off in true school fashion for forgetting my neck-tie, oh dear, but I did turn out some fantastic scones and a WI standard victoria sponge. In the afternoon session we were set a Ready, Steady, Cook! challenge. On my team was Caroline and Steven. Steven is already in the industry and seems to be a very worthy chef already so we had a little bit of a head start. After inspecting the trolley of ingredients and nabbing the cheap bottle of white wine, Caroline and Steven set about making a main dish of poached chicken supreme, wrapped in pancetta and stuffed with a mushroom duxelle, served on a potato rosti and creamy white wine and thyme sauce.
I took charge with the dessert: a white wine, strawberry and vanilla infused jelly with vanilla cream, strawberry coulis and strawberry crisps (which, in all honesty weren't quite crisp but that was a time issue, not a chef issue!). We were the only team that didn't use a recipe book, instead entirely relying on our own knowledge. I was really proud with our efforts and Paul, the chef, seemed quietly impressed too.
For Tuesday's session we had some theory and then a cooking skills class, in which we made minestrone. It was to get us used to cutting veg and now, for the rest of the week at home I will be practising cutting things into paysanne, without losing any fingers. (Paysanne: cutting into small dice or triangles) Just for you guys I found a demo of paysanne on you tube, I particulary like the crazy oriental music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqcetdDZMn8
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